The Portland daily press., 1887-09-26
NELSON'S BEST.
The Fastest Maine Horse Trots at
2.o6 Gait.

BOSTON, Sept. 4.-The famous stallion
Nelson made wonderful performance at
Mystic Park yesterday, when he trotted
half mile in LOS, the last quarter in 80 sec
ond, 2oS gait, driven by his breeder and
owner, c. H. Nelson, Of Waterville, Me
Notwithstanding the fact that Mystic Park
has been in existence for many years, dur
ing which time some of the best horses in
the world have been speeded over the track,
the performance Of Nelson will go on record
the fastest quarter ever trotted on the track.
Nelson is only five years old, and from the
present outlook there is brilliant future
before him. The following, which is taken
from a letter written by his owner, will give
some idea as to Nelson's breeding and former
performances:
"Nelson (226a, 3 years old was foaled June
II, 1882. at Sunnyside; sired by Young
R0lfe (2.21D, dam Gretchen (the dam of
Susie Owen, 2.26). by Gideon; is 1854 hands
high, weighs, HOO; bay, with black points,
as he stands in his STALL AS a weanling he
received good care; the last Of May, 1888, he
was turned out to grass, and taken up the
first of September and halter broken. The
following winter he was bitted and driven
about twice week. / think that it was be-
tween June Is and 20 that / commenced to
work my colt, and at that time could 60 a
mile in about four minutes. worked him
Tuesdays and Saturdays upon the track, and
the rest of the. week upon the road. He
and some time about the middle of July
could show fast for this section. He had
habit of starting away around the first turn.
change his gait and act mean. One day,
went my way did not try to hurry him,
but tried to have him go away steady and
not break. tried this for two hours before
he would go to suit me. My friend, j. ..
Whitten, was there. and will remember his
advice to me. to try him some other time,
but it was now or never with me, and from
that time until now he has been good
scorer. / worked him until August l, and
then shipped him to Bangor to trot in the
colt stakes, foals of 1882. He went an easy
in 403 seconds, and the last in 39a seconds.
/ did not want to start him in the race, but
was obliged to, as my sulky wagon broke
while exercising Dictator Chief and disabled
him for trotting. After that he was shipped
to the Maine State fair at Lewiston, and
then home. His shoes were removed, and
he was turned into yard and box stall un-
til spring. and then logged double most of
the time, as we had a good many to work.
."Nelson started in August, 1885. at Water
Macmillan ana John Mills, the speedy son
of Winthrop Morrill,, winning the race cas-
lily. He was then started at Bangor, and
showed mile in 2.34. The next week l
started him for the Central Maine colt stakes
at Fairfield against Lawrence, whose owner
gave the stakes to waive distance. The first
mile was in 239. and the last in 2.323. l
think he could have beaten 2.30 at that time.
He was then started for stallion cups Zone
fori three-year-olds and one for stations of
any age) at the Maine State Fair at Lewis
ton, where he trotted in 2.30. Hamblet0nian
Knox went in 2.2S. / was obliged to try
again and trotted in 2.263, winning both
cuDS."